Rhode Island Listings

Rhode Island is a tiny state nestled into the Northeast corner of our country. It’s a few hours from several of the biggest and most important cities in our country. Just a stone’s throw away you can visit Boston or New York City. It’s possible that these geographical neighbors may have something to do with Rhode Island’s growing drug problem. That’s because despite its small size, Rhode Island has a surprisingly large number of people using drugs.

Rhode Island leads the nation in several drug use categories such as the percentage of people over the age of 12 using any illegal drug and the percentage of people using marijuana or cocaine in the past month. Despite the increases in usage of these drugs, the state has not seen an attendant rise in facilities to deliver drug rehab to the people that need it most.

Statistics on Drug Usage Rates in Rhode Island

Reports on drug usage rates in Rhode Island are alarming. From 2007 to 2008, 13% of Rhode Island residents reported that they had used illegal drugs in the past month. This was 5% higher than the national average. The rate of drug-induced deaths was also higher than the national average.

The exact rate of drug-induced deaths in Rhode Island was 13.4 per 100,000 people. Compared to the national rate of 12.7 per 100,000, this was significantly higher. Even though Rhode Island is one of the smallest state, population-wise, it is seeing more people hurt and killed by drug use than much more populated areas.

The types of drugs being abused by Rhode Island residents are cause for concern, as well. Here is the breakdown of what drugs are being used most often, in order by the number of people being admitted for each for drug rehab treatment:

Heroin. This opioid drug is one of the most dangerous known to man, and it is currently leading admission rates in the state. Heroin can quickly become addictive, and its euphoric and pain-killing properties can quickly lead to the nervous system, heart rate and respiratory rate all being depressed. When these systems are depressed too far, heroin users can overdose and die
Marijuana. This drug is common all over the United States, but it is especially popular as a “recreational drug” in Rhode Island. In 2006, the state legislature approved marijuana for medical usage throughout the state. While the professed purpose is to help with a variety of medical conditions, most proponents know that it is incredibly easy to get a prescription and that the real reason for “medical” marijuana is simply to get high.

Other opiates. This broad category refers to prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin and many others. These opiate drugs are produced by pharmaceutical companies and are supposed to treat chronic pain. They are incredibly similar in effect to heroin, however, so many users find themselves growing addicted to these pills. Many other residents of Rhode Island specifically seek out these drugs in order to get high, as the pills can often be crushed into a powder and then snorted or mixed with water and injected. A further tragedy is that addiction to these pills often leads a user to then taking up heroin once the painkillers become too expensive to purchase.

Cocaine. This drug has long been a popular intoxicant in the Northeast. Forms of cocaine (such as crack cocaine, a hard, crystallized form) hit inner cities especially hard. New York and Boston were devastated by crack addition in the 80s, and it appears that many of these addicts migrated to lower-population areas such as Rhode Island. While cocaine is not as popular as it once was, it is still a major source of addiction in the state and its neighbors.

The next category of drug, as ranked by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is that of unknown or “other” drugs. There are hundreds of different varieties of drugs, and authorities and drug rehab providers don’t always know exactly what an addict is using when they seek treatment. In fact, the addicts themselves don’t always know what they were taking. This catch-all category is actually bigger than some of the lesser-used drugs.

Tranquilizers. A large number of tranquilizers exist, and they can be just as addictive as other drugs. These are chemicals designed to slow your bodily systems down and create a state of calm or relaxation in the users. Some popular varieties were actually developed as animal tranquilizers, but are now are being unsafely used by humans.

After these categories, the other types of drugs being used in Rhode Island drop off sharply. For example, methamphetamine is a major source of addiction, injuries and death in other parts of the country, but the usage rates in Rhode Island are miniscule. Hallucinogens such as ecstasy are also not as popular in the area. While residents are still using them to get high, usage is not yet at levels where many residents are seeking help for their addiction.

Getting Effective Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation in Rhode Island

Despite the high rates of drug usage throughout the state, Rhode Island does not have an abundance of effective treatment centers. Anyone that is searching for a center so that a loved one can get treatment can face a monumental task in trying to find the right one. The perfect drug rehab center will have a variety of qualities that indicate it will give specialized, individual treatment.

In choosing a center, you want to pick one that delivers all-natural treatment. Many modern rehabs will rely on drug replacement therapy, and this is not the road you want to go down. They feel that giving methadone to a heroin addict will help him control his cravings for opiates, but many studies have shown that methadone is actually even more addictive and dangerous than the drug it is supposed to replace.

Instead, you want to find a center that is focused on getting your loved one completely off of drugs. They will have a method of detoxification that helps your family member or friend to control his urges and simply not need to use drugs anymore.

An excellent rehab center will also have staff that truly care about the addict. Talk to them and find out what their methods of care actually are. You can quickly discover if this rehab center treats their mission as simply a “job,” or if they are committed to helping addicts reach full sobriety. If they caution you that your loved one will “probably relapse” when leaving the center, you know that they don’t have an effective system of rehabilitation and that they don’t care much about their outcomes, either.

Sifting through a lot of rehabs to find the right one for you family can be a daunting task, but it will pay dividends when you discover the one that is going to make sure that your loved one really gets clean. Addiction is an incredibly tough condition to work through, but having the right rehab center on your side makes all the difference. Get started on your search today and don’t give up till you find the Rhode Island drug rehab facility that is right for you.

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